Finalists – Best Construction Industry Training Provider — Why They Stood Out
Best Construction Industry Training Provider — Why They Stood Out
Building the Future Awards
The Best Construction Industry Training Provider category recognises organisations that don’t just deliver qualifications, but build careers, culture and confidence across the sector. This year’s finalists demonstrate three distinct models of excellence — an employer-led apprenticeship specialist, a main contractor turning every site into a training ground, and a leadership consultancy reshaping how construction develops people. Here’s why they stood out.
Learning Skills Partnership (LSP)
Employer-led apprenticeships that out-perform the market
Learning Skills Partnership (LSP) is a specialist apprenticeship provider created to close the gap between education and employment in construction. With directors and staff rooted in industry, LSP works hand-in-glove with employers — from large levy payers to SMEs — to design structured, supportive pathways that put the learner experience first and meet local and national workforce needs.
Inspiring the next generation
LSP has made inclusion a practical priority. A quarter of its construction apprentices are female — around 10% above the industry average — achieved through close collaboration with employers on recruitment and support. Tutors are encouraged to nominate apprentices for awards, while learner case studies showcase real career trajectories and broaden the appeal of construction to new entrants.
Closing the skills gap with whole-person development
Beyond technical training, LSP equips apprentices with life skills through a six-year-strong
“Theme of the Month” programme covering topics such as healthy eating, mental health, online safety and finance basics — engaging more than 2,000 learners via an online forum. A Local Threats map helps tutors contextualise safeguarding and regional risks, and new enrichment topics, led by industry specialists, respond to learner demand — early sessions on mortgages, car finance and careers in construction have drawn high engagement and strong satisfaction scores (4.75/5).
A dedicated Career Hub offers CV support and interview preparation, while equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded through an annual calendar that builds awareness of festivals, cultural events and social-impact dates.
Proof of impact
LSP’s results speak for themselves:
- 70.1% achievement rate in 2023/24 — 9.6 percentage points above the sector average and 12.4 points above Independent Training Providers overall.
- 4/4 – “Excellent” employer rating on the Apprenticeship Service.
- 94% of learners would recommend LSP; 90% first-time EPA pass rate.
Why they stood out
LSP shows what happens when apprenticeships are employer-designed, learner-centred and quality-driven. The combination of high achievement, strong satisfaction and a visible commitment to diversity marks LSP out as a benchmark for apprenticeship delivery in construction.
Gallaway Construction
A main contractor that turned every site into a training site
Family-run with a 23-year legacy across education, healthcare and complex refurbishments, Gallaway Construction treats training as core operations rather than an add-on. In 2025 the business committed that every live project would be a training environment, aligning workforce development with delivery and social value.
Inspiring and supporting new talent
Gallaway’s engagement is end-to-end: from Reception through to post-graduate level. Primary pupils get hands-on STEM tasters; Key Stage workshops build bridges and circuit boards; Key Stage 3 sessions introduce drones and sustainability; Key Stage 4 students follow a 12-week STEM programme from concept to end-user, including site visits and structured work experience. At post-16, 45-day T-Level placements sit alongside a rolling, three-week university placement model with the University of Salford, leading to paid roles and a growing graduate intake.
The company has logged 1,500+ hours of structured training through placements, including multiple T-Level learners and university students progressing to paid work and degree apprenticeships. To date, Gallaway has engaged 600+ students, with 1,000+ projected by the end of 2025.
Tackling the skills gap systemically
Gallaway is pushing for earlier access to site experience by enabling 16-year-olds to enter supervised roles, adapting welfare and training models to suit younger starters. CEO Renee Preston is advocating for sector-wide change, taking a contractor-led blueprint to policymakers to modernise entry routes.
The firm’s Construction for Women (CFW) initiative delivers monthly taster days to around 90 girls, culminating at UK REiiF 2025 where 100 young women will explore six disciplines, network across the supply chain and be matched with year-long mentors. The programme is generating £1.2m–£2m+ in social value and is already influencing college applications and course uptake.
Gallaway also operates a Prison Leaver Programme with employability support, CSCS training, mock interviews and mentored transitions into paid roles. Participants are now actively requesting Gallaway placements, a signal of trust in the pathway.
Why they stood out
Where many outsource training, Gallaway owns it. Weekly in-house development for site managers, QSs and estimators, personalised plans for every team member, and embedded mentoring show a contractor building a self-sustaining talent system. The result is real progression (joiners to site managers), increased female participation, and routes into work for people too often overlooked. It’s a contractor re-writing what “training provider” can mean.
Wintle-Camp Coaching
Leadership, culture and inclusion — built for construction
Founded in 2020 by Monique Wintle-Camp, Wintle-Camp Coaching bridges the gap between technical competence and people leadership. The female-led consultancy has scaled to £300k+ annual turnover with a core team and 12 associates, delivering bespoke programmes that combine coaching, cultural change and measurable impact for construction clients.
Developing the next generation
Through partnerships like IConstruct, Wintle-Camp mentors school-age students and helps businesses create clear career pathways for emerging talent. Women-in-Construction initiatives, board-level coaching and “train-the-trainer” models build internal capacity so learning sticks. The firm’s values — Authenticity, Connection, Empowerment, Challenge and Fun — underpin inclusive, psychologically safe learning spaces.
Closing the gap with leadership at every level
Programmes span first-time supervisors to senior leaders, covering communication, influence, emotional intelligence, performance management and mental-health awareness. Notable client outcomes include:
- Optima Contracting: leadership self-ratings at 4+/5 rose from 29% to 71% six months post-programme; 60% increase in performance-management reporting.
- Knights Brown: 86% of participants implemented new skills within weeks; high recommendation scores.
- Women in Construction (HCTA & IWCTG): confidence scores lifted from 3.08 to
4.29; 60% committed to mentoring other women.
Average programme ratings run at 4.25/5, with 100% growth via repeat business and referrals.
Why they stood out
Wintle-Camp Coaching shows that solving the skills gap is as much about culture and leadership as it is about qualifications. By equipping supervisors, managers and boards with practical people skills — and by embedding inclusive practices — the consultancy improves retention, safety and team performance while elevating future leaders.
Final word
Together, these finalists demonstrate that world-class training in construction takes many forms: employer-designed apprenticeships with outstanding outcomes; contractor-led ecosystems that turn projects into classrooms; and leadership programmes that strengthen the cultural foundations of the sector. Each points to a future where career pathways are clearer, workplaces are more inclusive, and skills development is continuous — from first taster day to senior leadership.